Lectures and Community Engagement 2015 –16

Lectures and
Community Engagement
2015­–16
About the Metropolitan Opera Guild
The Metropolitan Opera Guild is the world’s premier arts education
organization dedicated to enriching people’s lives through the artistry
of opera. Thanks to the support of individuals, government agencies,
foundations, and corporate sponsors, the Guild brings opera to life
through a variety of educational programs. For students, the Guild fosters
personal expression, collaboration, literacy skills, and self-confidence
with customized education programs integrated into the curriculum of
their schools. For adults, the Guild deepens the knowledge of everyone
from the first-time operagoer to the life-long fan through intensive
workshops, pre-performance talks, and community outreach programs.
In addition to presenting educational programs, the Guild serves as
publisher of Opera News, the world’s leading opera magazine. With Opera
News, the Guild reaches a global audience with the most insightful and
up-to-date writing on opera available anywhere, helping to maintain
opera as a thriving, contemporary art form.
For more information about the Metropolitan Opera Guild and its
programs, visit metguild.org. Additional information and archives of
Opera News can be found online at operanews.com.
How to Use This Booklet
This brochure presents the 2015–16 season of Lectures and Community
Engagement grouped into thematic sections, including programs that
emphasize specific Met performances and productions, courses on
opera and the art form’s history and culture, and editorial insights and
interviews presented by our colleagues at Opera News. Our courses of
study are arranged chronologically and learners of all levels are welcome.
To place an order, please call the Guild’s ticketing line at 212.769.7028
(Mon–Fri 10AM – 4PM).
Cover: Diana Damrau in Les Pêcheurs de Perles
Photo: kristian schuller / metropolitan opera
ii
Lectures and
Community Engagement
2015­–16
Table of Contents
Welcome
4 Presenters, Panelists, Artists, and Staff
5 Summer HD Festival Pre-Screening Talks
AT THE METROPOLITAN OPER A GUILD, we believe that opera can make us
6 The Met: Live in HD
see, feel, and hear the world differently. For the past 80 years, the Guild has
7 Insights on the 2015–16 Metropolitan Opera Season
worked to nourish hearts and minds through programs that foster a deeper
New Production Talks
8 Opera Outlooks Pre-Performance Talks
12 Opera News presents The Singers’ Studio
Casual Conversations
annually, and as the activities in these pages suggest, the Guild is as dynamic
14 Masterly Singing
Master Classes and Recitals
as ever in reaching today’s opera lovers and cultivating an interest for opera
16 Musical Chairs
Conversations on a Life in Music
appreciation of opera and a lifelong involvement in the lyrical arts. Our educational and community programs reach thousands of young people and adults
in tomorrow’s world.
As we embark on our 80th year, we invite you to immerse yourself in the magic
of opera through our educational and community programs. Whether you’re
a novice or an avid fan, our Lectures and Community Engagement programs
offer an array of pre-performance talks, master classes, backstage tours, artist
18 Score-Desk Tickets
19 Backstage Tours
22 Guild Membership and Ordering Information
24 Courses of Study
Saturday Score Reading
Opera Boot Camp
Puccini Heroines
interviews, and more. We are thrilled to have you join us for another memorable
Exploring 20th-Century Opera
year as we explore all that opera has to offer.
Tudor Queens
Divas and Dinner:
A Culinary Look at Opera
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Sincerely,
Richard J. Miller, Jr.
President
Memories from the Golden Horseshoe
36 Biographies of Lecturers, Presenters, and Teachers
39 Calendar of Events
43 Map of Event Locations
44 Metropolitan Opera Guild Board of Directors
Presenters, Panelists, Artists, and Staff
Program Leadership
Thomas M. Martin
Managing Director
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Stuart Holt
Director of School Programs &
Community Engagement
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
F. Paul Driscoll
John J. H. Muller
Editor-in-Chief
Professor of Music History and
Graduate Studies
Opera News
The Juilliard School
Paul Gruber
Executive Director,
Program Development
Louise T. Guinther
Opera News
Tenor
Lucine Amara
Soprano
Naomi Barrettara
Program Development
Consultant
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Piotr Beczala
Tenor
William Berger
Author, Radio Host, and
Commentator
Soprano
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Senior Editor
Roberto Alagna
Jessye Norman
Nimet Habachy
Lecturer, Writer, and
Broadcaster
Kyle Homewood
Community Engagement
Administrative Coordinator
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Bryan Hymel
Tenor
Jeffrey Langford, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair,
Music History
Assistant Dean of
Doctoral Students
Manhattan School of Music
Steven Osgood
Conductor
Olga Peretyatko
Soprano
Carl Raymond
Lecturer and Chef
Harlow Robinson, Ph.D.
Matthews Distinguished
University Professor
W. Anthony Sheppard,
Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Music
Williams College
Ira Siff
Director, Vocal Coach, and
Broadcaster
Rebecca Sullivan
Community Engagement
Associate
Javier Camarena
Jane Marsh
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Elspeth Davis
Community Engagement
Coordinator
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Paulo Szot
Baritone
Desirée Mays
Deborah Voigt
Author and Lecturer
Soprano
In case of changes to the schedule or inclement weather, lecture dates will follow Met
screening dates. For up-to-date information, visit metopera.org. If a screening is canceled
due to weather conditions, tickets will be refunded.
Bizet
Carmen
SAT AUG 29 7:45PM
Nézet-Séguin; Frittoli,
Garanča, Alagna, Rhodes
2 hours 40 minutes approx.
MOzart
Così fan tutte
Wed SEp 2 7:30PM
Levine; Phillips, Leonard,
de Niese, Polenzani,
Pogossov, Muraro
3 hours approx.
Macbeth
SUN AUG 30 8PM
Luisi; Netrebko, Calleja,
Lučić, Pape
Offenbach
Les Contes
d’Hoffmann
Mon Aug 31 7:45PM
Abel; Morley, Gerzmava,
Rice, Lindsey, Grigolo,
Hampson
2 hours 45 minutes approx.
Tchaikovsky/Bartók
Iolanta / Bluebeard’s Castle
TUE SEP 1 7:30PM
Digital Editor
Gergiev; Netrebko,
Beczala, Markov, Azizov,
Bannik; Michael, Petrenko
Opera News
2 hours 55 minutes approx.
Adam Wasserman
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Ticket package $150.
Individual tickets are $15 including a reserved seat to the evening’s HD screening.
2 hours 30 minutes approx.
Stage Director
Soprano
Artistic and Program Consultant
All pre-screening talks are held at the Opera Learning Center, on the 6th floor of the
Samuel B. and David Rose Building on 65th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam
Avenue, from 5:30 to 6:30PM.
Mozart
Don Giovanni
Sun SEP 6 7:45PM
Luisi; Rebeka, Frittoli,
Erdmann, Vargas,
Kwiecien, Pisaroni, Bloom,
Kocán
2 hour 45 minutes approx.
Verdi
Jay Lesenger
Tenor
This series presents ten lectures on ten consecutive days, coinciding with
the Met’s Summer HD Festival, which offers free open-air screenings of
Live in HD productions on Lincoln Center Plaza.
Northeastern University
Mezzo-Soprano
Grace Bumbry
Summer HD Festival
Pre-Screening Talks
Puccini
Il Trittico
ThU SEP 3 7:45PM
Verdi
Aida
Levine; Guleghina, Licitra, Mon SEP 7 8PM
Luisi; Monastyrska,
Frittoli, Murphy, Blythe,
Borodina, Alagna,
Giordano, Corbelli
Gagnidze, Kocán
2 hours 45 minutes approx.
2 hour 30 minutes approx.
Gounod
Roméo et Juliette
Fri Sep 4 7:45PM
Domingo; Netrebko,
Leonard, Alagna, Gunn,
Lloyd
2 hours 45 minutes approx.
Verdi
La Traviata
SAT SEP 5 8PM
Luisi; Dessay, Polenzani,
Hvorostovsky
2 hours 15 minutes approx.
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The Met: Live in HD
Insights on the 2015–16 Season
The Met’s Peabody and Emmy Award–winning series of live performance
transmissions to movie theaters around the world continues for its tenth
season, featuring ten live broadcasts. Live in HD productions are seen
on 2,000 screens in 70 countries. Don’t miss the chance to experience
the Met live at your local movie theater! For more information, visit
metopera.org/HDlive.
The Met is once again partnering with cultural institutions across New
York City for a series of talks, discussions, and other special events tied
to the 2015–16 season’s six new productions. Join directors, designers,
and singers for stimulating conversations and performances, presented in
collaboration with the Guggenheim Museum’s Works & Process series, the
New York Shakespeare Society, the New York Public Library, and others.
New Production Talks
2015–16 Season
For details on these events, visit metopera.org in September and throughout the
season.
Il Trovatore
Verdi
Les Pêcheurs de Perles Roberto Devereux
Bizet
Donizetti
Sat, Oct 3, 2015
12:55pm Eastern Time
Sat, jan 16, 2016
12:55pm Eastern Time
Sat, apr 16, 2016
12:55pm Eastern Time
Armiliato; Netrebko,
Zajick, Lee, Hvorostovsky,
Kocán
Noseda; Damrau,
Polenzani, Kwiecien, Testé
General Manager Peter Gelb,
composer Thomas Adès, and
director Robert Lepage discuss
the Met premiere of Adès’s
The Tempest at a Guggenheim
Works & Process talk.
Benini; Radvanovsky,
Garanča, Polenzani,
Kwiecien
Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera
Puccini
Verdi
Otello
Sat, Oct 17, 2015
12:55PM Eastern Time
Nézet-Séguin; Yoncheva,
Antonenko, Pittas, Lučić,
Groissböck
Wagner
Tannhäuser
Sat, Oct 31, 2015
11:55Am Eastern Time
Levine; Westbroek,
DeYoung, Botha, Mattei,
Groissböck
Berg
Lulu
Sat, nov 21, 2015
12:25pm Eastern Time
Turandot
Sat, jan 30, 2016
12:55pm Eastern Time
Carignani; Stemme,
Hartig, Berti, Tsymbalyuk
Puccini
R. Strauss
Elektra
Sat, apr 30, 2016
12:55pm Eastern Time
Salonen; Stemme,
Pieczonka, Meier,
Ulrich, Owens
Manon Lescaut
Sat, mar 5, 2016
12:55pm Eastern Time
Verdi’s
Otello Opens September 21
Luisi; Opolais, Kaufmann,
Cavalletti, Sherratt
Berg’s
Lulu Opens November 5
Bizet’s
Les Pêcheurs de Perles Opens December 31
Puccini
Puccini’s
Sat, apr 2, 2016
12:55pm Eastern Time
Donizetti’s
Roberto Devereux Opens March 24
R. Strauss’s
Elektra Opens April 14
Madama Butterfly
Chichon; Opolais, Zifchak,
Alagna, Croft
Levine; Petersen, Graham,
Brenna, Groves, Reuter,
Grundheber
The Met: Live in HD series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding
sponsor The Neubauer Family Foundation.
Global sponsorship of The Met: Live in HD is also provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The HD Broadcasts are supported by Toll Brothers, America’s luxury home builder.™
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New Productions of the 2015–16 Season
Manon Lescaut Opens February 12
Welcoming New Audiences
The Met is also adding several new initiatives to complement the popular Rush
Tickets, Met Opera Students, and Young Associates programs. Ten Friday performances have been designated as “Friday Under 40” for audiences aged 40 and
under. Together with an 8pm start time, these performances include opportunities
to socialize and learn more about the Met. And opera lovers 18 and younger pay
half price for performances from Thanksgiving through the end of 2015 (subject
to availability). For more information, visit metopera.org.
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Opera Outlooks
Pre-Performance Talks
Take a closer look at these operas in the Met’s 2015–16 season. All lectures
are held at the Opera Learning Center, on the 6th floor of the Samuel
B. and David Rose Building on 65th Street between Broadway and
Amsterdam Avenue.
Tickets $20 public / $18 Guild members / $14 students
Love and Jealousy: Otello
TUE OCT 6 6–7PM Jeffrey Lang ford
Shakespeare’s tragic tale of passion, rage, and deception finds powerful musical
expression in Verdi’s penultimate opera, created after the composer’s collaborators brought him out of his self-imposed retirement. Music historian Dr. Jeffrey
Langford explores the various ways in which Verdi transformed the original play
for the operatic stage—both through dramatic excision and musical expansion.
The Music and Myth of Tannhäuser
MON OCT 19 5:30–6:30PM John J. H. Muller
Wagner’s early masterpiece returns to the Met this season for the first time in more
than ten years, led by Music Director James Levine. Join music historian and Wagner
expert John J. H. Muller as he discusses the rich romantic musical language and
the juxtaposition of historic and mythical settings in this landmark opera.
Winning Love in Turandot
MON OCT 26 6–7PM Jeffrey Lang ford
Puccini’s final—and arguably most adventurous—score is presented at the Met
framed by the sumptuous sets and costumes of Franco Zeffirelli’s classic production, a longtime repertoire favorite. Dr. Jeffrey Langford delves into some of the
challenges the composer mastered while setting an epic, occasionally gruesome
fairy tale to music.
Verismo and Historical Authenticity: Tosca
MON NOV 2 6–7PM Jane Marsh
Join Guild lecturer Jane Marsh as she discusses aspects of Italian, French, and
Austrian history during the period in which Puccini’s opera is set, as well as the
musical forms and verismo style represented in the score.
Love, Obsession, and Death: Lulu
SAT NOV 21 10:30–11:30AM W. Anthony Sheppard
One of the greatest 20th-century operas, Berg’s unfinished work—seen this season
in a new production by William Kentridge—seems as fresh and relevant today as it
was when first seen almost 80 years ago, and the surreal and seedy world it depicts
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Piotr Beczala in Rigoletto
Photo: Ken Howard / metropolitan opera
remains provocative. Dr. W. Anthony Sheppard brings his operatic expertise to
this exploration of Lulu’s characters and its revolutionary score.
Verdi’s Timeless Tragedy: Rigoletto
WED DEC 2 6–7PM Nimet Habachy
Verdi’s masterpiece returns this season in director Michael Mayer’s neon-lit production set in Las Vegas. Join lecturer Nimet Habachy as she delves deeper into the tragic
story of the hunchbacked jester, his innocent daughter, and the lecherous Duke.
Exploring the Waltz King: Die Fledermaus
MON DEC 14 6–7PM Jane Marsh
After making his name as the Waltz King, Johann Strauss, Jr.—encouraged by
none other than Jacques Offenbach—conquered the stage with his operettas. Jane
Marsh provides an inside view of the composer’s most popular dramatic creation,
Die Fledermaus.
Desire and Deception: Les Pêcheurs de Perles
TUE JAN 12 6–7PM Harlow Robinson
Last seen at the Met in 1916, Bizet’s opera Les Pêcheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers)
is the tale of two men whose friendship is threatened by their shared love for a
beautiful priestess. Dr. Harlow Robinson explores the passionate and lyrical music
that has made this rarely staged opera impossible to forget.
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oper a outlooks (continued)
Gypsy’s Revenge: Il Trovatore
MON APR 18 6–7PM William Berger
A beloved staple of the repertoire since its 1853 premiere, Il Trovatore returns to the
Met this season with star soprano Anna Netrebko taking on the role of Leonora
for the first time with the company. In this lecture, Dr. Harlow Robinson follows
the notorious twists and turns of the opera’s plot and discusses its brilliant and
haunting music.
The late Patrice Chéreau’s acclaimed production of Richard Strauss’s powerful
one-act, previously seen in Aix-en-Provence and Milan, arrives at the Met this
season. William Berger examines this landmark work, which incorporates an
extraordinary range of musical expression, reflecting the heightened emotions of
its mythological characters.
Desperate Passion in Manon Lescaut
Mozart and Die Entführung aus dem Serail
TUE MAR 1 6–7PM Nimet Habachy
WED APR 27 6–7PM Naomi Barrettara
Puccini’s third opera, based on the controversial 18th-century novel L’Histoire du
chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by Abbé Provost, was his breakthrough
success. Join Nimet Habachy as she examines the motivations of the complex title
character and her tragic fate.
Shortly after settling in Vienna in 1781, Mozart received an Imperial commission
to write Die Entführung aus dem Serail, a significant step in establishing himself as
a freelance composer. Join lecturer Naomi Barrettara as she examines the many
historical and musical layers of the opera that marks an important turning point
in the composer’s life and output.
Tudor History: Roberto Devereux
MON MAR 28 6–7PM Desirée Mays
The last of Donizetti’s three “Tudor queen” operas, Roberto Devereux is loosely
based on the story of Elizabeth I and Robert Devereux, a royal favorite who was
executed for treason. Desirée Mays discusses the complex relationships of the
central characters of this opera, which has its Met premiere as part of soprano
Sondra Radvanovsky’s quest to perform all three Donizetti queens in one season.
(The other two works, Anna Bolena and Maria Stuarda, will be presented in the
fall and winter.)
The Tragedy of Madama Butterfly
Opera Study Days
Each study day includes two sessions to allow for in-depth discussion.
Part I: 11AM–12:30PM Part II: 2–3:30PM
Study days $22 public per session / $20 Guild members and students per session
Verismo Study Day
SAT JAN 23 William Berger
Anthony Minghella’s stunningly beautiful production of Puccini’s opera returns with
Kristine Opolais in the title role. Join Desirée Mays as she investigates the source
material that inspired the composer and his librettists, and learn about the opera’s
different versions on its journey from disastrous opening night to worldwide hit.
This two-part study day will explore the late 19th-century style of verismo, most
famously represented in Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci,
as well as several of Puccini’s works. The operatic verismo movement, like the
literary counterpart that inspired it, emphasized realism and characters drawn
from everyday life over the elaborate drama of earlier eras. Join William Berger as
he discusses the defining elements of the verismo style and its lasting popularity.
Love and Politics in Simon Boccanegra
Bel Canto Study Day: Donizetti
TUE MAR 29 6–7PM Desirée Mays
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Elektra: Myth and Vengeance
WED FEB 3 6–7PM Harlow Robinson
TUE APR 5 6–7PM John J. H. Muller
SAT FEB 27 Jane Marsh
A moving character study and the story of a father–daughter relationship, Simon
Boccanegra was written toward the end of Verdi’s productive middle period and
revised by the composer almost a quarter century later. Join John J. H. Muller as
he explores how this opera—seen this season with James Levine conducting Plácido
Domingo in the title role—evolved over time.
In this two-part study day, Jane Marsh offers in-depth insight into Donizetti’s
most enduringly popular comic operas, L’Elisir d’Amore and Don Pasquale, as well
as the significance of both works in the composer’s creative output and the bel
canto period in general.
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The Singers’ Studio
Casual Conversations
In this intimate interview series, some of today’s greatest opera stars
chat with editors of Opera News. Don’t miss the chance to hear in-person
previews of future Opera News online exclusives. Events are held at the
Opera Learning Center, on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. and David Rose
Building at Lincoln Center.
Ticket package $168 public / $150 Guild members and students
Individual tickets $28 public / $25 Guild members and students
In Studio: Olga Peretyatko
TUE oct 27 6–7PM
Soprano Olga Peretyatko made a triumphant Met
debut in 2014 as Elvira in I Puritani. She returns to
the company this season as Gilda in Michael Mayer’s
hit production of Rigoletto. Opera News Editor-in-Chief
F. Paul Driscoll chats with the singer about her work
on stage and in the recording studio.
In Studio: Piotr Beczala
Thu dec 3 6–7PM
Most recently heard at the Met in Un Ballo in Maschera
and the company premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta,
2015 Opera News Award winner Piotr Beczala reprises
his acclaimed portrayal of the Duke in Rigoletto this
season. Opera News Digital Editor Adam Wasserman
speaks with the tenor about his career.
In Studio: Roberto Alagna
mon feb 8 6–7PM
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of his Met debut
this season, Roberto Alagna returns to the company
as Canio in Pagliacci and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly.
Opera News Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll joins the
tenor in conversation.
In Studio: Javier Camarena
mon mar 7 6–7PM
Following his show-stopping performances in Bellini’s
La Sonnambula and Rossini’s La Cenerentola two seasons
ago, Javier Camarena stars as Ernesto in Donizetti’s
Don Pasquale in 2015–16. The tenor discusses his fastpaced career with Opera News Senior Editor Louise T.
Guinther.
In Studio: Bryan Hymel
thu apr 28 6–7PM
Bryan Hymel, whose Met career began in 2012 with a
celebrated last-minute debut as Aeneas in Berlioz’s Les
Troyens, is heard this season as Rodolfo in La Bohème.
He sits down for a talk with Opera News Digital Editor
Adam Wasserman.
In Studio: Paulo Szot
mon jan 11 6–7PM
Tony Award–winning baritone Paulo Szot stars as Dr.
Falke in the holiday presentation of Johann Strauss, Jr.’s
Die Fledermaus this season. Opera News Editor-in-Chief
F. Paul Driscoll talks with the baritone about current
and upcoming roles.
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Masterly Singing
Master Classes and Recitals
These master classes and recitals explore aspects of preparation vital to the
development of young performers under the guidance of master teachers
with diverse backgrounds in stage direction, vocal coaching, conducting,
and operatic and theatrical performance.
Events are held at the Opera Learning Center, on the 6th floor of the Samuel
B. and David Rose Building at Lincoln Center, unless otherwise noted.
Individual tickets $25 public / $22 Guild members and students
Tickets for the showcase on May 1, 2016 $28 public / $25 Guild members and students
Verdi and Victor Hugo: A Rigoletto Master Class
SUN NOV 8 4–5:30PM Jane Marsh – Master Teacher
The 1851 premiere of Verdi’s Rigoletto, based on Victor Hugo’s controversial play Le
Roi s’amuse, launched the highly successful middle period of the composer’s career.
Join Jane Marsh as she guides two singers through the steps of vocally creating
their characters in one of the composer’s most popular masterpieces.
You may also be interested in…
20th-Century Opera: A Culminating Vocal Showcase
ThU NOV 12 5:30–7PM Steven Osgood
Part of the Exploring 20th-Century Opera series, page 32.
The Metropolitan Opera Guild’s
High School Opera Singers Intensive
The Guild is proud to offer a one-week High School Opera Singers Intensive, a program
designed to inform and inspire developing young singers as they explore options for
college or conservatory study and beyond. For more information, dates, and application forms, please email [email protected] or call 212.769.7028.
Featuring Michael-Paul Krubitzer, tenor; Chad Armstrong, baritone; and Joan Krueger,
pianist
The Art of Comedy: A Master Class on Comic Scenes
SUN MAR 20 4–5:30PM Jay Lesenger – Master Teacher
With Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Don Pasquale, L’Elisir d’Amore, and Le Nozze di Figaro, the
2015–16 Met season presents some of the most beloved comedies in the operatic
repertoire. Stage director and teacher Jay Lesenger leads this master class on the
challenges and subtleties of making audiences laugh and helps young singers work
toward mastering their comedic skills.
Innovation, Competition, and Comparison:
A Mozart–Salieri Showcase
SUN MAY 1 4–5:30PM at Bruno Walter Auditorium Jane Marsh – Host
Colleagues and competitors in Classical-era Vienna, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and
Antonio Salieri came to be seen as rivals in the public imagination through Peter
Shaffer’s 1979 play Amadeus and its award-winning film adaptation. Contrasting
their innovative works and styles, Jane Marsh showcases three singers in excerpts
from both composers’ operas, including those featured in the Met’s 2015–16 Mozart
repertoire.
Featuring Tracy Chang, soprano; Sara Petrocelli, mezzo-soprano; Önay Köse, bass; and
Daniel Fung, pianist
Conductor Steven Osgood explores the idea of musical motif with soprano
Marnie Breckenridge.
Photo: metropolitan opera guild / rebecca sullivan
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Musical Chairs
Conversations on a Life in Music
Lucine Amara
In this popular series, the Guild’s Executive Director of Program
Development, Paul Gruber, hosts conversations with five great singers—
events that are sure to be equally entertaining and revealing. Each discussion will include photo reminiscences and rare performance video clips.
TUE Feb 23 6–7:30PM
Events are held at the Opera Learning Center, on the 6th floor of the Samuel
B. and David Rose Building at Lincoln Center, unless otherwise noted.
Ticket package $143 public / $131 Guild members and students
Individual tickets $25 public / $22 Guild members and students
Tickets for Jessye Norman conversation $28 public / $25 Guild members and students
Tickets for the Jane Marsh Celebration $40 public, Guild members, and students
MON Oct 5 6–7:30PM
Since making her Met debut in 1991, the beloved
soprano has dominated the Strauss and Wagner repertoire, with frequent forays into Verdi, Puccini, and
Berlioz. Following the recent publication of her candid
memoir, Call Me Debbie: Confessions of a Down-to-Earth
Diva, she will discuss her life and career on the operatic
stages of the world.
The first singer to win the Gold Medal at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Competition,
Jane Marsh has performed in many of the leading opera houses around the
world and appeared on numerous recordings as well as TV and radio shows. A
well-known lecturer and master class teacher, she is
also the Artistic Advisor and Program Consultant of
the Guild’s Lectures and Community Engagement
department.
Jessye Norman
This special celebration of the 50th anniversary of
Ms. Marsh’s Moscow triumph will include a short
recital program featuring Ms. Marsh and Norman
Carey, pianist, as well as an interview with Ms.
Marsh and Paul Gruber, followed by a reception.
WED, OCT 14 6–7:30PM
Bruno Walter Auditorium, the new york public
Library for the Performing Arts
photo: James E. Alexander
Jane Marsh: 50th Anniversary Celebration
SUN May 15 4–5:30PM Bruno Walter Auditorium, the new york public Library for the Performing Arts
Deborah Voigt
photo: Heidi Gutman
photo: © dario acosta
In the Met’s 130-year history, only five sopranos have sung
more performances than this remarkable artist. From 1950
to 1991, Lucine Amara appeared 748 times in 48 different
roles, holding company records for several of them. In this
conversation, she will share memories of her extraordinary
career and her many colleagues.
One of the world’s most celebrated singers, Jessye
Norman has conquered a repertory that includes the
operas of Strauss, Wagner, Berlioz, Poulenc, Stravinsky
and Schoenberg, as well as a vast variety of songs. The
author of Stand Up Straight and Sing!, she has long been
considered one of America’s national treasures.
Paul Gruber chats with
Renata Scotto in a previous
Musical Chairs interview.
photo: © Beth Bergman 2015
Grace Bumbry
MON Nov 16 6–7:30PM
A leading artist at the Met for more than 30 years, this
dynamic singer has crossed vocal boundaries and given
memorable performances of both soprano and mezzosoprano roles. Now concentrating on her Grace Bumbry
Vocal and Opera Academy in Berlin, she makes a rare
New York appearance with this talk.
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Score-Desk Tickets
Backstage Tours
Expand your operatic experience and learn more about your favorite work
by studying its score during a live Met performance. Score-desk seats are
located in the Family Circle boxes. These special seats offer no view of the
stage, but are equipped with a desk and reading light, enabling study of
an opera’s score or libretto during the performance.
Go behind the scenes for an exclusive look at what it takes to make operatic
magic at the Met. Tours offer a fascinating backstage look at one of the
world’s premier performing arts organizations, including visits to the scenic
and carpentry shops, rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms, and stage area.*
Tickets at $12 for the public, $10 for Guild members, and $8 for students are available
for all Met performances. Galas and special events may be purchased at a higher ticket
price.
Tours begin and end in the Met lobby and are held during the Met season
on most weekdays at 3 pm and some Sundays at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm.
$25 public / $23 Guild members / $20 students and groups of 10 or more
Backstage tour reservations are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Tours for groups of 10 or more go on sale in September 2015. Regular tours are available
to the general public beginning late September 2015. We recommend purchasing as far
in advance of your desired tour date as possible, as space is limited and tours tend to
sell out. Children under the age of 8 are not permitted on tours due to safety concerns.
*Please note that due to rehearsal and performance activities in a working opera house, not all areas
may be available on every tour.
Photo: jonathan tichler / metropolitan opera
Many piano-vocal scores are available from our lending library, including:
18
The Barber of Seville
(in Italian only)
Die Entführung
aus dem Serail
La Bohème
Die Fledermaus
Cavalleria Rusticana
Madama Butterfly
Don Pasquale
Manon Lescaut
La Donna del Lago
Le Nozze di Figaro
Elektra
Otello
L’Elisir d’Amore
Pagliacci
Rigoletto
Simon Boccanegra
Tannhäuser
Tosca
Il Trovatore
Turandot
Students on a backstage tour of the Met
PHOTO: jonathan tichler / Metropolitan opera
19
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Friday, November 13, 2015
at 12:15 PM
Sunday, April 10, 2016
at 6:00 PM
THE 81st ANNUAL
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LUNCHEON
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Honoring Grace Bumbry, Mirella Freni,
Sherrill Milnes and Renata Scotto
on the 50th anniversaries of their
Met debuts.
At this gala dinner, five great artists
will be presented with
the highest honor
given by the opera industry.
GRAND BALLROOM
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LLOYD E. RIGLER — LAWRENCE E. DEUTSCH FOUNDATION
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE SPONSOR
CO R P O R AT E S P O N S O R
21
Ordering Community Engagement
Event Tickets
CALL
MAIL
ONLINE
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Complete the order form and return it with payment to:
The Metropolitan Opera Guild, Community Engagement
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Visit us at metguild.org.
Select For the Community or the online calendar to view all Lectures and Community Engagement events.
Join the Metropolitan Opera Guild
Enhance your Met experience by becoming a member of the
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It is our privilege to thank the many individuals, foundations,
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All Guild members receive an annual subscription to Opera News
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For more than 80 years, education has been a central part of
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS BEGIN AT $75*
school classrooms, taking audiences inside and backstage at the
SUPPORTING MEMBERS ($150) enjoy priority ticketing for Met performances,
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exclusive online content, such as access to the latest radio broadcast for one week after
the live airing during the season, and more.
opera house, and presenting the lectures, interviews, and master
DONOR MEMBERS ($400) are invited to visit the Belmont Room, a members-only
lounge, to enjoy refreshments 45 minutes prior to a performance and during intermission.
SPONSOR MEMBERS ($750) receive all of the Guild benefits above,
a copy of the Met Season Book, dress rehearsal passes, and more.
For information about Metropolitan Opera Guild membership visit
metopera.org/membership or call 212.362.0068.
All events are held at the Metropolitan Opera Guild Opera Learning Center on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. and
David Rose Building at Lincoln Center, unless otherwise noted. Ticket requests are processed in the order received;
tickets may be available at the door for some events. All programs, presenters, panelists, and artists are subject to
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* Please note: The estimated value of non-deductible goods and services at the National, Supporting, Contributing,
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and services is $50.
22
Thank You!
the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s mission. Our programs foster a
community of learners of all ages by bringing opera directly into
classes you see here.
Last year, the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s diverse programming
served more than 23,000 students and adults, in part thanks to the
much-needed private funding we received and the many volunteers
that helped to bring these opportunities to the community. Visit
our website at metguild.org and explore the opportunities we
offer to engage and learn about this exciting art form.
To learn more about how you can support education and lifelong
learning, please contact:
Katherine Delaney
Director of Development
[email protected]
212.769.7025.
23
Courses of Study
Courses of Study
Saturday Score Reading
Score Reading: An Introduction Naomi Barrettara
SAT SEP 12 11AM–12:30PM and 2–3:30PM
Guild staff member Naomi Barrettara covers basic score-reading skills to help newcomers
feel comfortable diving into the world of reading music, and provides a review of core skills
for Crash Course regulars. The morning session will focus on notation vocabulary, interpretive markings for singers and instrumentalists (including articulation and dynamics), and
concepts such as key signatures. The afternoon focuses on aspects of rhythm, including
note values and tempo markings, and on important operatic forms and how to identify
them in a score.
Participants will be provided with annotated piano-vocal scores for all excerpts being
covered in the class. Beginner-level ability to read music is recommended.
Two-session registration $40 public / $36 Guild members and students (not available singly)
Score Reading: Great Arias Naomi Barrettara
SAT FEB 20 11AM–12:30PM and 2–3:30PM
Arias in opera can take many different shapes—from dramatic declarations of love to
ornamented mad scenes to mournful farewells and laments. This two-part score-reading
study day is dedicated to exploring the music of some of this season’s greatest arias,
covering a variety of styles, forms, and composers. Learn more about the history and
evolution of aria structure, musical conventions, and types of singing as we traverse the
2015–16 Met repertoire.
Participants will be provided with annotated piano-vocal scores for all excerpts being
covered in the class. Beginner-level ability to read music is recommended.
Two-session registration $40 public / $36 Guild members and students (not available singly)
A scene from Pagliacci
photo: cory weaver / metropolitan opera
24
Courses of Study continued on next page
25
courses of study (continued)
Crash Courses
Opera Boot Camp: Italian Masterpieces
Crash Courses delve into the musical highlights of the featured opera, giving beginner
and intermediate readers the tools to explore the intricate workings of a score and experience a new way of listening to opera. Learn more about how a composer tells a story in
music and about important historical events and artistic movements that influenced each
opera’s creation. Add a score-desk seat to a performance at the Met and turn your study
into a full day of learning, listening, and experiencing opera.
Naomi Barrettara
All classes take place before a corresponding performance for each featured opera, and
annotated piano-vocal scores are provided as part of the class ticket price. Beginner-level
ability to read music is recommended.
Please note that the workshops for Otello and Tannhäuser will only include
annotated selections from the piano-vocal scores, due to the operas’ length.
Individual sessions $30 for class and materials only; $38 with added score-desk seat for
performance. Score-desk seats do not offer a view of stage. All 6 sessions with scoredesk seat $228.
sat Oct 17 10–11:30AMOtello
sat Oct 24 5–6:30PM
Tannhäuser
sat Dec 12 5–6:30PM
La Bohème
sat Jan 16 10–11:30AM
Les Pêcheurs de Perles
sat Feb 6 10–11:30AM
Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci
sat Mar 12 10–11:30AM
Don Pasquale
The Met’s 2015–16 season features some of the greatest works of the Italian
repertoire, covering more than a century from Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia
to Puccini’s Turandot. While the melodies of these operas are familiar, the
influences and life experiences behind them are often far less well known.
Join lecturer Naomi Barrettara as she delves into the personal, historical,
and musical background of these great composers.
Full course registration $80 public / $72 Guild members
Individual sessions $22 in advance / $20 Guild members and students
Part 1: Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti
SAT SEP 26 11AM–12:30PM
In the early decades of the 19th century, the works of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini
dominated the opera stage in Italy. But who were these musical masters? What was their
compositional process? How did their personal lives inform their works? In this first session
of Opera Boot Camp, we will explore these and many other questions in a close look at
this trio of great bel canto composers.
Gioachino Rossini
Vincenzo Bellini
Gaetano Donizetti
Students enjoy a lively discussion during their Saturday score reading class.
Photo: Caroline Earp / Metropolitan Opera Guild
Courses of Study continued on next page
26
27
courses of study (continued)
Part 2: Verdi
SAT SEP 26 2–3:30PM
Before he became the leading Italian composer of opera in the late Romantic era, Verdi—
like many other rising artists—suffered quite a few bumps in his early career. Examining
his life and works, this session will give you an inside look at the man behind the music,
including his struggles with personal loss, fights with the censors, and other artistic battles
on the road to international acclaim.
Part 3: Mascagni and Leoncavallo
SAT OCT 3 11AM–12:30PM
Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci—opera’s most celebrated
double bill—are often treated as two parts of a whole, when they are in fact very different
works. Similarly, their composers, who contributed significantly to the development of the
verismo style, were not just the one-hit wonders they are often portrayed as. This session
will delve into the lives and works of these two groundbreaking artists.
Opera Boot Camp: Musical Exoticism
Naomi Barrettara
Exoticism has been a part of the operatic genre from the beginning, and the
sounds of foreign cultures, distant lands, and ancient times have fascinated
composers as much as the audiences. This season, the Met presents several
works that evoke faraway places and unfamiliar characters. Join the Guild’s
resident Boot Camp instructor Naomi Barrettara for an in-depth exploration of how composers created exotic sound worlds and their different
musical and dramatic manifestations in operas from Mozart to Puccini.
Full course registration $80 public / $72 Guild members
Individual sessions $22 in advance / $20 Guild members and students
Part 1: What Is Exoticism?
Part 4: Puccini
SAT OCT 3 2–3:30PM
Born at the height of the Romantic era, Puccini lived through the turn of the century and
the First World War, witnessed the invention of sound recording and the automobile,
and along the way created a string of beloved operas that established him as the leading
Italian composer after Verdi. This session will explore the musical career and personal life
of one of opera’s most successful figures.
SAT APR 2 11AM–12:30PM
While the concept of musical exoticism is simple at its core—imagining the sound of the
unfamiliar—there are many ways in which the idea has been applied to opera, and its
historical, political, and cultural connection to the art form has evolved and changed over
the centuries. At the same time, exoticism in art can also be seen from many different
perspectives, complicating the process of evaluating its meaning. This introductory lecture
will investigate various ways of looking at exoticism and how these approaches can be
applied to opera. It will also provide a survey of the elements, techniques, and tropes
associated with exoticism in western music.
A scene from Les Pêcheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers)
PHOTO: origin8photography.com/eno
Giuseppe Verdi
28
Pietro Mascagni
Ruggero
Leoncavallo
Giacomo Puccini
29
courses of study (continued)
Part 2: Mozart and the alla turca Style
Puccini Heroines
SAT APR 2 2–3:30PM
Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail is often cited as a quintessential example of the
musical alla turca style and the “Turquerie” trend in European culture at the time—a
fascination with the Ottoman Empire and all things Turkish. In this session, we will explore
the history and evolution of the “Turkish style” that Mozart tapped into and its prevalence
in 18th-century Vienna. We will also look at the specific dramatic and musical techniques
the composer employed in his score that led to the opera’s enduring association with the
alla turca fashion.
Jane Marsh
Part 3: Bizet and the Allure of the Unknown
SAT APR 9 11 AM–12:30PM
Both in his youthful Les Pêcheurs de Perles—seen at the Met this season for the first time in
a century—and his later masterpiece Carmen, Bizet shows a fascination with the exotic. This
session will examine the allure of the unknown in 19th-century Paris, specifically focusing
on Bizet’s choice of locales and his depiction of foreign lands and cultures in rich musical
tapestries that weave together French romanticism and local color.
Part 4: Puccini and the Far East
SAT APR 9 2–3:30PM
The masterful techniques Puccini employs to transport audiences to ancient China in
Turandot and to early 20th-century Japan in Madama Butterfly stand among the most
extraordinary examples of musical exoticism in opera. In this last lecture of the series,
we will investigate the fascinating history behind the compositional process in these two
works, including a look at the authentic musical material Puccini used and at the fusion of
stylistic elements used to bring these stories to life on the opera stage.
Many of Puccini’s operas rest squarely on the shoulders of their female
protagonists. From the fragile Mimì to the icy and unforgiving Turandot,
the composer created some of the most memorable roles for the soprano
voice. In this four-week course, Jane Marsh looks at Puccini’s life, his
operas, and his heroines, joined by a lineup of rising young singers, to
showcase the stylistic evolution throughout the composer’s five operas
seen at the Met this season.
Full course registration $80 public / $72 Guild members
Individual sessions $22 in advance / $20 Guild members and students
Desperate Passion: Manon Lescaut
WED OCT 14 2–3PM
Featuring Michelle Pretto, soprano, and Anthony Manoli, pianist
The Poetry of Small Things: La Bohème
WED OCT 21 2–3PM
Featuring Julianne Borg, soprano, and Joan Krueger, pianist
Historical Verismo: Tosca and Madama Butterfly
WED OCT 28 2–3PM
Featuring Kelly Griffin, soprano, and Djordje Nesic, pianist
Myth and Exoticism: Turandot
WED NOV 4 2–3PM
Featuring Julianne Borg, soprano, and Mitchell Cirker, pianist
30
Roberto Alagna as Pinkerton
in Madama Butterfly
A scene from Turandot
PHOTO: Marty sohl / metropolitan opera
PHOTO: Marty sohl / metropolitan opera
31
courses of study (continued)
Exploring 20th-Century Opera
Tudor Queens
Steven Osgood
Jane Marsh
Two extraordinary 20th-century operas will be seen at the Met in new
productions this season: Richard Strauss’s Elektra and Alban Berg’s Lulu.
Conductor Steven Osgood returns to the Guild to offer insight into these
landmark scores, providing listening strategies and historical context
illuminated by piano-vocal demonstrations and recordings. The course
concludes with a showcase in which singers will perform selections from
both operas.
The 1830 premiere of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, the first of his “Tudor queen”
operas, marked an important step in the composer’s development of the
concept of the mad scene, a traditional dramatic device of the bel canto
era. In this three-week course, Jane Marsh discusses Donizetti’s seven-year
trajectory through the completion of Bolena’s companion works, Maria
Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux, and how it affected his approach to creating
these showpiece solos for his heroines. All three Tudor queen operas will
be heard at the Met this season, with Sondra Radvanovsky taking on the
rare feat of starring in each.
Full course registration $60 public / $54 Guild members
Individual sessions $22 in advance / $20 Guild members and students
Elektra: Complex Musical Psychology
THU OCT 29 5:30–7PM
With Elektra, Strauss took opera to a level of musical and dramatic expression that had
never been reached before. Explore the ancient Greek myth that inspired Hugo von
Hofmannsthal’s libretto and learn how Strauss used harmonic and melodic elements to
develop the psychology of the opera’s tragic heroine.
Full course registration $60 public / $54 Guild members
Individual sessions $22 in advance / $20 Guild members and students
Anna Bolena
THU FEB 25 5:30–7PM
Maria Stuarda
Lulu: Melodic Line as Character
THU MAR 3 5:30–7PM
THU NOV 5 5:30–7PM
One of the first stage works to be written in the twelve-tone technique pioneered by Berg’s
teacher Arnold Schoenberg, Lulu also references older operatic traditions. Learn about
what to listen for in the musical leitmotifs associated with individual characters, settings,
and emotional themes in this groundbreaking masterwork.
Roberto Devereux
THU MAR 10 5:30–7PM
20th-Century Opera: A Culminating Vocal Showcase
THU NOV 12 5:30–7PM
Maestro Osgood guides singers as they perform excerpts from Elektra and Lulu, featuring
Justine Aronson, soprano, and Jennifer Goode Cooper, soprano, with Kelly Horsted, pianist.
Sondra Radvanovsky as Elisabetta in
Roberto Devereux.
PHOTO: Kristian Schuller / metropolitan opera
32
33
courses of study (continued)
Divas and Dinner: A Culinary Look at Opera
Memories from the Golden Horseshoe
Carl Raymond
Ira Siff
From Rossini’s gourmandism to Hansel and Gretel’s fateful feast to divainspired dishes like Peach Melba—food has always played a role in opera,
both on and off stage. In this three-part series, chef and opera aficionado
Carl Raymond takes us on a culinary journey through the Met season,
examining food as a backdrop in some of the operas on stage in 2015–16,
imagining meals characters may have eaten, and discussing specific dishes
and their preparation. Enjoy a glass of wine as you immerse yourself in
the culinary world of opera.
Met broadcast commentator Ira Siff takes us on a tour of his first years
of opera-going during the five final seasons at the old Met on Broadway
and 39th Street, from 1961 to 1966.
Full course registration $75 public / $66 Guild members
Individual sessions $28 in advance / $25 Guild members and students
From Rome to Paris
TUE APR 12 5:30–7PM
In this session, we’ll delve into the Roman cuisine of Tosca—including what may have
been on Scarpia’s dinner table as Tosca grabs the fateful knife. Then we’ll travel to France
to explore the rise of the café and restaurant scene in bohemian Paris, with notes on the
real-life Café Momus, the setting of the second act of La Bohème.
In this three-part series, Siff recalls the experience of growing up on
the standing–room line, experiencing legendary performances such
as the debut of Joan Sutherland and the farewell of Licia Albanese,
sleeping in the street for two nights to get tickets to the comeback
of Maria Callas, and more. All sessions will include audio and video
clips, bringing to life this golden era of Met history.
Full course registration $60 public / $54 Guild members
Individual sessions $22 in advance / $20 Guild members and students
WED APR 20 11AM–12:30PM
WED APR 27 11AM–12:30PM
WED MAY 4 11AM–12:30PM
The Cuisine of Venice and the Mediterranean
TUE APR 19 5:30–7PM
This session takes us to the settings of Verdi’s Otello and Simon Boccanegra, traveling from
the spice-rich world of Venice to Cyprus and back to Genoa. We’ll discuss the spice trade
as well as the lasting influences of the sea on the development of Mediterranean cuisine.
Dining with the Queen
TUE APR 26 5:30–7:00PM
In this final session, we will discuss the feasts and ceremonial dinners—as well as the more
quotidian fare—of the Tudor era, which provides the setting of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena,
Maria Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux. Explore one of the most dramatic and creative
times in British culinary history.
The Metropolitan Opera House on Broadway and 39th Street
34
35
Lecturers, Presenters, and Teachers
Naomi Barrettara, now in her fifth year as a staff lecturer at the Metropolitan
Opera Guild, holds a master’s degree in music from the CUNY Graduate Center in
New York City, where she is currently pursuing her doctorate in musicology with
research focusing on opera studies and public musicology. She is also a student
in the Graduate Center’s Interactive Technology and Pedagogy program and has
received several fellowships for her work with digital projects and social media.
William Berger is the author of several books, including Wagner Without Fear, Verdi
With a Vengeance, and Puccini Without Excuses, and a frequent lecturer and speaker
on opera at a variety of venues internationally, as well as for the opera companies of
Seattle, Houston, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. He has worked at the Met since
2006 as a writer, radio producer, and on-air commentator for the live weeknight
broadcasts on Met Opera Radio on SiriusXM. He is also a writer and producer for
the Met’s popular Saturday matinee broadcast quiz.
Nimet Habachy is best known in the New York area for her more than 25 years
as host of New York at Night on the “old” WQXR and for her presence three times
a week on the “new” WQXR. Her talks on opera and classical music for the Guild
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art keep her an audience favorite. She joined the
Met Museum’s trip to Turkey in the fall of 2012 as a lecturer.
Dr. Jeffrey Langford is Assistant Dean for Doctoral Studies and Chair of the Music
History Department at Manhattan School of Music. A frequent lecturer for the Guild,
he has written articles on the operas of Verdi and Berlioz and is the author of the
annotated bibliography Hector Berlioz: A Guide to Research and Evenings at the Opera:
An Exploration of the Basic Repertoire. Dr. Langford also serves as the Administrative
Director of a new summer chamber music festival, Manhattan in the Mountains,
which takes place in Hunter, NY, in July and August.
Soprano Jane Marsh was the first singer to win the Gold Medal at Moscow’s
International Tchaikovsky Competition. She made her debut at Italy’s Spoleto
Festival as Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello and has been heard at many of the world’s
major festivals, opera houses, and concert halls. In addition to Verdi, Strauss, and
bel canto, her repertoire includes the heroines of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.
She leads master classes in the U.S. and Europe and has appeared, as performer and
host, in international and U.S. radio and television programs. Her music anthology
Spirit Be Joyful!, for which she created the singing translations and transliterations,
was published in 2008. She joined the Guild’s roster of presenters in 2007, is the
co-creator of the Guild’s Masterly Singing series, and currently serves as Artistic
Advisor and Program Consultant. She was awarded the New York Handel Medallion
for exceptional contributions to the city’s cultural life.
Desirée Mays lectures both live and on radio across the U.S., has written 16 books
in the Opera Unveiled series, and leads groups of opera lovers around the world. Her
summers are spent at home in Santa Fe where she has been the resident speaker for
the Santa Fe Opera since 1995. Winters can find her lecturing for the Met Opera
Guild.
John J. H. Muller is Professor of Music History at the Juilliard School, where he
teaches a wide variety of courses for undergraduate and graduate students, as well
as for adult lay people. He has lectured frequently for the Metropolitan Opera
Guild and presented talks for many Met performances of Wagner’s Ring cycle,
including those of the Mariinsky Theater at the 2007 Lincoln Center Festival. He
has also lectured for organizations including the Wagner Society of New York and
the American Psychoanalytic Association. From 2010 to 2013, he was the English
language lecturer at the Bayreuth Festival. His essay on Parsifal appeared in Wagner
Outside the “Ring.”
Jay Lesenger has created more than 200 productions across the country and internationally during his career spanning over 35 years as a stage director, administrator,
and teacher. He spent 21 years as General and Artistic Director and principal stage
director of Chautauqua Opera from 1995 to 2015. He is also a nationally recognized teacher of acting for singers, recently served on the Board of Directors of
Opera America, and is a frequent jury member for the Metropolitan Opera National
Council Auditions.
36
37
Lec turers, Presenters, and Teachers (continued)
Calendar of Events
Steven Osgood conducted the world premieres of Tan Dun’s Peony Pavilion,
Xenakis’s Oresteia, Janice Hamer’s Lost Childhood, Paula Kimper’s Patience & Sarah,
Missy Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproar, Daron Hagen’s Little Nemo in Slumberland,
Mohammed Fairouz’s Sumeida’s Song, Kamala Sankaram’s Thumbprint, and most
recently Daniel Sonenberg’s The Summer King. He was Artistic Director of American
Opera Projects from 2001 until 2008, during which time he created the “Composers
& the Voice” fellowship program. He has been a member of the music staff of the
Metropolitan Opera since 2006 and has conducted workshops of operas by Nico
Muhly and Scott Wheeler. Upcoming productions include the world premieres of
Laura Kaminsky’s As One with American Opera Projects and Stefan Weisman’s The
Scarlet Ibis with the PROTOTYPE Festival, as well as Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied
with Opera Memphis and Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers with Atlanta Opera. He has
conducted recordings of Lee Hoiby’s A Month in the Country and Summer and Smoke,
as well as Virgil Thomson’s The Mother of Us All and Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproar.
All events are held at the Opera Learning Center, located on the 6th floor of the Samuel B.
and David Rose Building, 65th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, unless
otherwise noted.
Carl Raymond is an educator and marketer with a specialty in culinary history
and a passion for opera. He has taught culinary arts extensively throughout New
York City and has given talks and culinary demonstrations at the Merchant’s House
Museum as well as the National Arts Club. He is currently manager of public
programs at King Manor Museum and programming consultant to the Merchant’s
House Museum.
Dr. Harlow Robinson is an author, lecturer, and the Matthews Distinguished
University Professor of History at Northeastern University. An internationally recognized authority on Russian music and culture, he is the author of Sergei Prokofiev: A
Biography and Russians in Hollywood, Hollywood’s Russians. He is a frequent lecturer
for the Boston Symphony and an arts correspondent for the Boston Globe.
Dr. W. Anthony Sheppard is Professor of Music and Department Chair at Williams
College, with degrees from Princeton University and Amherst College. He specializes in 20th- and 21st-century opera and music theater and serves as editor of the
Journal of the American Musicological Society.
Ira Siff is a native New Yorker who grew up on the standing-room line at the old
Met, worshipping the great singers of the time and listening to the Met’s broadcasts.
In 1981 he founded La Gran Scena Opera Co., the operatic spoof troupe, which has
won acclaim from press and public around the world. A voice teacher and coach
for the past 40 years, he also gives master classes, directs, lectures on opera, writes
for Opera News, and has, since 2007, served as on-air commentator for the Met’s
Saturday matinee radio broadcasts.
38
AUGUST
SAT AUG 29 5:30PM
Carmen HD Lecture
SUN AUG 30 5:30PM
Macbeth HD Lecture
MON AUG 31 5:30PM Les Contes d’Hoffmann HD Lecture
SEPTEMBER
TUE SEP 1 5:30PM
Iolanta/Bluebeard’s Castle HD Lecture
WED SEP 2 5:30PM
Così fan tutte HD Lecture
THU SEP 3 5:30PM
Il Trittico HD Lecture
FRI SEP 4 5:30PM
Roméo et Juliette HD Lecture
SAT SEP 5 5:30PM
La Traviata HD Lecture
SUN SEP 6 5:30PM
Don Giovanni HD Lecture
MON SEP 7 5:30PM
Aida HD Lecture
SAT SEP 12 11AM
Score Reading: An Introduction Session I
(Part 2 begins after lunch break)
Barrettara SAT SEP 26 11AM
Boot Camp: Italian Masterpieces Part 1: Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti
Barrettara SAT SEP 26 2PM
Boot Camp: Italian Masterpieces Part 2: Verdi
Barrettara SAT OCT 3 11AM
Boot Camp: Italian Masterpieces
Part 3: Mascagni and Leoncavallo
Barrettara SAT OCT 3 2PM
Boot Camp: Italian Masterpieces
Part 4: Puccini
Barrettara
MON OCT 5 6PM
Musical Chairs: Deborah VoigtGruber
TUE OCT 6 6PM
Love and Jealousy: OtelloLangford
WED OCT 14 2PM
Desperate Passion: Manon Lescaut
OC TOBER
Marsh
39
2015 –16 Calendar of Events (continued)
Musical Chairs: Jessye Norman
Wed Oct 14 6PM
Bruno Walter Auditorium
SAT OCT 17 10AM
Crash Course: Otello
Gruber Barrettara
MON OCT 19 5:30PM The Music and Myth of Tannhäuser
Muller
WED OCT 21 2PM
The Poetry of Small Things: La Bohème
Marsh
SAT OCT 24 5PM
Crash Course: Tannhäuser
MON OCT 26 6PM
Winning Love in TurandotLangford
TUE OCT 27 6PM
In Studio: Olga PeretyatkoDriscoll
WED OCT 28 2PM
Historical Verismo: Tosca and Madama Butterfly
THU OCT 29 5:30PM
Elektra: Complex Musical Psychology Osgood
Barrettara
Marsh
NOVEMBER
MON NOV 2 6PM
Verismo and Historical Authenticity: Tosca
Marsh
WED NOV 4 2PM
Myth and Exoticism: Turandot
Marsh
THU NOV 5 5:30PM
Lulu: Melodic Line as CharacterOsgood
SUN NOV 8 4PM
Verdi and Victor Hugo: A Rigoletto Master Class
THU NOV 12 5:30PM
20th-Century Opera: A Culminating Vocal Showcase Osgood
MON NOV 16 6PM
Musical Chairs: Grace BumbryGruber
Marsh
SAT NOV 21 10:30 AM Love, Obsession, and Death: LuluSheppard
DECEMBER
40
JANUARY
MON JAN 11 6PM
In Studio: Paulo SzotDriscoll
TUE JAN 12 6PM
Desire and Deception: Les Pêcheurs de PerlesRobinson
SAT JAN 16 10AM
Crash Course: Les Pêcheurs de Perles
SAT JAN 23 11AM
Verismo Study Day Part I
(Part 2 begins after lunch break)
Barrettara
Berger FEBRUARY
WED FEB 3 6PM
Gypsy’s Revenge: Il TrovatoreRobinson
SAT FEB 6 10AM
Crash Course: Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci
MON FEB 8 6PM
In Studio: Roberto AlagnaDriscoll
SAT FEB 20 11AM
Score Reading: Great Arias Part I
(Part 2 begins after lunch break)
TUE FEB 23 6PM
Musical Chairs: Lucine AmaraGruber
Barrettara
Barrettara THU FEB 25 5:30PMTudor Queens: Anna Bolena
Marsh
SAT FEB 27 11AM
Marsh Bel Canto Study Day: Donizetti Part I
(Part 2 begins after lunch break)
MARCH
TUE MAR 1 6PM
Desperate Passion in Manon LescautHabachy
THU MAR 3 5:30PM
Tudor Queens: Maria Stuarda
MON MAR 7 6PM
In Studio: Javier CamarenaGuinther
Marsh
WED DEC 2 6PM
Verdi’s Timeless Tragedy: RigolettoHabachy
THU MAR 10 5:30PM
Tudor Queens: Roberto Devereux
THU DEC 3 6PM
In Studio: Piotr Beczala
SAT MAR 12 10AM
Crash Course: Don Pasquale
SAT DEC 12 5PM
Crash Course: La Bohème
SUN MAR 20 4PM
The Art of Comedy: A Master Class on Comic ScenesLesenger
MON DEC 14 6PM
Exploring the Waltz King: Die Fledermaus
MON MAR 28 6PM
Tudor History: Roberto Devereux
Mays
TUE MAR 29 6PM
The Tragedy of Madama Butterfly
Mays
Wasserman
Barrettara
Marsh
Marsh
Barrettara
41
Most events will be
held at the Guild’s
Opera Learning Center,
located on the 6th floor
of the Samuel B. and
David Rose Building.
2015 –16 Calendar of Events (continued)
APRIL
SAT APR 2 11AM
Boot Camp: Musical Exoticism Part 1: What is Exoticism?
Barrettara SAT APR 2 2PM
Boot Camp: Musical Exoticism
Part 2: Mozart and the alla turca Style
Barrettara
TUE APR 5 6PM
Love and Politics in Simon Boccanegra
SAT APR 9 11AM
Boot Camp: Musical Exoticism Part 3: Bizet and the Allure of the Unknown
Barrettara SAT APR 9 2PM
Boot Camp: Musical Exoticism
Part 4: Puccini and the Far East
Barrettara TUE APR 12 5:30PM
From Rome to ParisRaymond
MON APR 18 6PM
Elektra: Myth and Vengeance
TUE APR 19 5:30PM
The Cuisine of Venice and the MediterraneanRaymond
WED APR 20 11AM
Memories from the Golden Horseshoe Part ISiff
TUE APR 26 5:30PM
Dining with the QueenRaymond
WED APR 27 11AM
Memories from the Golden Horseshoe Part IISiff
WED APR 27 6PM
Mozart and Die Entführung aus dem Serail
THU APR 28 6PM
In Studio: Bryan Hymel
42
Alice
Tully
Hall
The
Juilliard
School
adw
B ro
NY Public
Library for the
Performing
Arts
Columbus Avenue
Avery
Fisher
Hall
Empire
Hotel
Rosa
Mexicano
Beaumont,
Newhouse,
and Tow
Theaters
Film
Society of
Lincoln
Center
David H.
Koch
Theater
Bruno Walter Auditorium
Damrosch
Park
Jane Marsh: 50th Anniversary CelebrationGruber Metropolitan
Opera House
SUN MAY 15 4PM
Amsterdam Avenue
Memories from the Golden Horseshoe Part IIISiff
Bruno Walter Auditorium
Samuel B. and David Rose Building
70 Lincoln Center Plaza
The Rose Building is fully ADA compliant.
e=elevator location
WED MAY 4 11AM
Marsh West 62nd Street
MAY
West 63rd Street
Wasserman
Innovation, Competition, and Comparison: A Mozart–Salieri Showcase
Walter
Reade
Theater
West 65th Street
Barrettara
SUN MAY 1 4PM
ay
Berger
e
Rose Building
Opera Learning
Center 6th Fl.
Muller
43
Metropolitan Opera Guild
Board of Directors
Judith
H. Auchincloss
Ex-Officios
Dr. Susan Battley
Robert E. Bierman
Mrs. Schuyler G. Chapin
Edmée de M. Firth
Carole Bailey French
Robert R. Glauber
John Hargraves
Kate Webb Harris
Elaine Hochberg
Stuart H. Johnson, III
Sandra S. Joys
Mrs. Kerryn King
Dr. Cora Koppe-Stahrenberg
Stephen C. Koval
Theodore A. Kurz
James S. Marcus
Louis Miano
Jules Miller
Richard J. Miller, Jr.
Christopher S. Moore
Mrs. Peter H. Nicholas
Langdon Van Norden, Jr.
Dr. Ebbie Parsons, III
Lowell W. Robinson
Winthrop Rutherfurd, Jr.
Christopher Serbagi
Marc S. Solomon
Dr. Garry Spector
Ellsworth George Stanton III
Elizabeth S. Tunick
George C. White
Judith-Ann Corrente
Ann Ziff
Emeritus Council
Susan S. Braddock
Diana Russell Deacon
Mrs. Richard Durkes
Mrs. Anthony L. Geller
Mrs. Randolph H. Guthrie
Mrs. James R. Houghton
Thomas J. Hubbard
Mrs. James B. Hurlock
Mrs. Alexander M. Laughlin
Lawrence D. Lovett
Maria M. Moore
Patricia F. Sullivan
Artists’ Council
Martina Arroyo
Harolyn Blackwell
Rosalind Elias
Michael Fabiano
Susan Graham
Denyce Graves
Thomas Hampson
Eric Owens
Ailyn Pérez
Roberta Peters
Patricia Racette
Frederica von Stade
The Guild gratefully acknowledges support from Adirondack Foundation—Rocky Bog Fund,
The Bagby Foundation for the Musical Arts, The Bodman Foundation, The Marc Haas Foundation,
The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, Midland Community Area Foundation, The Tony Randall
Theatrical Fund, The Windfall Foundation, and Woodland Foundation, Inc.
Public support provided by the New York State Council on the Arts.
44
45
Lectures and Community Engagement
70 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023-6593